Improved cookstove projects generate carbon credits by replacing inefficient open fires or traditional stoves with more efficient alternatives that burn less fuel. The credit calculation is based on the volume of fuel avoided, the fraction of that fuel that would otherwise have been non-renewable, and the emissions avoided as a result. The Gold Standard AMS-II.G methodology is the most widely used framework for these projects.
Key inputs to the calculation
Household reach
The number of households using the improved stoves. This is the primary volume driver. Monitoring protocols require periodic verification of active usage rates, since not all distributed stoves remain in active use throughout the crediting period.
fNRB (fraction of non-renewable biomass)
fNRB is the single most consequential variable in a cookstove credit calculation. It represents the proportion of wood fuel collected that comes from non-sustainable sources, where the trees are not regrowing. A higher fNRB means more of the avoided fuel use translates directly into atmospheric benefit, and therefore more credits per household. Values are set by the approved MoFuSS tool or national default tables and typically range from 0.40 in forest-rich regions to 0.95 in heavily degraded areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
For a fuller treatment of fNRB and how it is determined, see the fNRB guide.
Fuel savings per household
The difference in annual fuel consumption between the baseline stove and the improved stove, expressed in tonnes of dry wood equivalent. This is determined by kitchen performance tests (KPT) and water boiling tests conducted in the project area, not assumed from manufacturer specifications.
Net calorific value and emission factor
The carbon content of the displaced wood fuel, combined with the net calorific value, determines the gross tCO2e per tonne of fuel avoided. Gold Standard uses IPCC default values unless country-specific factors have been approved.
Stacking discount
If households use multiple stoves (the improved stove alongside the traditional one), a stacking discount is applied to avoid overcounting avoided emissions. Typical discounts range from 10 to 30 percent depending on monitoring evidence.
Try the calculator
Use the full tool in The Carbon Workbench to save your calculation, adjust crediting period assumptions and export a PDF summary.
Open full Cookstove CalculatorWhat credit yields look like in practice
| Project context | fNRB | Fuel saving (t/yr/HH) | Credits per household per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Africa, degraded woodland | 0.85 | 1.2 | 1.4-1.8 tCO2e |
| West Africa, mixed forest | 0.65 | 1.4 | 1.2-1.6 tCO2e |
| South Asia, rural biomass dependent | 0.72 | 0.9 | 0.9-1.2 tCO2e |
| Latin America, forest-rich area | 0.42 | 1.1 | 0.6-0.8 tCO2e |
Credit prices and commercial context
Cookstove credits typically trade in the range of £3-18 per tonne in the voluntary market, with price depending heavily on SDG co-benefits, Gold Standard verification level, vintage and whether the project includes a clean cooking component. Projects with strong co-benefit evidence (health, gender, biodiversity) consistently command premiums over standard avoidance credits.
At 1,000 households with an fNRB of 0.75 and a fuel saving of 1.2 t/yr/HH, a project would generate approximately 1,200-1,500 tCO2e per year. At a conservative price of £8/t that is £9,600-12,000 per year in gross revenue before verification costs.